According to the prior art numerous devices are known for protecting and closing of windows, doors etc. These devices are mainly constructed from steel or aluminum with open mesh, or from compact blinds made of steel or aluminum. Certain applications consist of panels with consecutive punched out areas, thereby providing open areas that look like a lattice when the panels are joined. This latter kind of application for protection is designed to be rolled up in a roll. Devices are also known for closing off areas that slide together sideways, such as folding walls and/or doors or saxon lattices.
Danish patent application 4323/84 describes a reinforcable rolling blind which consists of parallel, reinforced profiled rails wherein lattice joints are mounted so that when the lattice joints are closed they form a lattice with open spaces. This lattice is consequently not completely compact like that of the present invention.
German patent No. 452284 describes a protection lattice for windows and doors which forms a partly open lattice in a closed position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,315 describes a security hinge for doors.
In the Norwegian Building Construction Catalogue vol. 10 (Norsk Byggtjeneste) there is described a panelfold consisting of chipboard elements which are hinged together by PVC hinges. The chipboard elements are provided with areas of a transparent material. This panelfold is preferably used for partitioning of rooms.
However, the various prior art constructions do not fulfill the necessary requirements of protection against a variety of new methods of burglary and vandalism. Moreover, if compact shutters are used, all of the transparency is lost.
In contrast, in a device according to present invention, the area to be protected will be completely shut off while at the same time most of the transparency is retained. The device according to the present invention can be used both as a roller shutter, which can be rolled together as a roll above the opening, or as a folding shutter which can be pushed together sideways.